The Devil With The Face of an Angel | Irondad, pepperony

Chapter 16

The Avengers Tower held a party after a long pause. There were a lot of people here and Peter, because there was no one to watch him, he was there too. Pepper had urgent business matters and dealings, so she couldn't stay home with him. Tony decided he'd better had his son under his watch, so he took him with him.

Rhodey was just telling a story, but Peter was busy trying to absorb all of the experiences because he had never been to any such party before.

"...drop it at his feet, I'm like: Boom! You looking for this?" Rhodey finished euphorically, staring from Tony to Thor. Both of them had smiles on their faces, but they looked at Rhodey a little puzzled. "Boom, you're not looking - why am I even talking to you? Everybody always laughs at it," he said, slightly disappointed and sipped from his glass.

"I will laugh, Uncle Rhodey, but you have to say it again," Peter told him, and everyone laughed.

"Hey, why are you laughing at him? He didn't say anything funny!"

"The kids are funny and cute in themselves," Tony smirked, ruffling Peter's hair. Then he bent over. "What if you went to Aunt Nat? She's at the bar over there, and she seems a little sad. Go cheer her up."

Peter immediately agreed because he had loved Natasha since the first moment he saw her. She was beautiful, funny, self-confident, and fearless. She was always nice to him and watched him whenever Pepper and Tony went somewhere. And Peter adored her. Aunt Nat couldn't be sad.

"Hi, Nat," he greeted her with a smile and sat down on the barstool. She stood with her back to him, behind the bar, so she turned and her face lit up.

"Well, isn't that my favorite Stark?" she smiled and ruffled his hair. "But don't tell Dad." He giggled. "What are you doing here? Since when can such little boys go to adult parties?"

"From now on," he said, grinning.

"Tss, that's protectionism. What will it be, young sir? Vodka with juice?"

"Just vodka," he said importantly. Natasha laughed and placed a glass and orange juice in front of him.

"Okay, one extra orange juice. And I'll have the vodka for you."

"Are you sad, Aunt Nat?" Peter asked her cautiously. Natasha raised her eyebrows and looked at him curiously.

"How did you figure that out, kid?"

"You look sad to me."

"Well, all right. I'll tell you something. I was sad until you came to me. I missed you, Pete," she told him affectionately, chirping him into his nose.

•••

Later, everyone was leaving the party, leaving only Avengers, Maria, and Rhodey there. They were all sitting in armchairs or couches and discussing Thor's hammer. Peter lay at Natasha, his head resting in her lap, and she stroked his hair. He watched all the events with his sleepy eyes.

"Please, Stark, by all means," Clint said with a grin to Peter's father when he couldn't lift Thor's hammer. Tony stood up, unbuttoned his jacket, and winked at Peter.

"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge," he said, then grabbed the hammer, trying to move it. "It's physics." But no matter what he tried, he couldn't do it. Thor watched his movements in amusement.

When even the gloves of his Iron Man suit didn't help him, he called his best friend to help.

"Are you even pulling?" Rhodey asked in disbelief, clenching his muscles.

"Are you on my team?"

"Just represent! Pull!"

But neither they nor Bruce succeeded, nor did Steve move the hammer. Peter would never admit it to his father, but he actually put hopes on Steve rather than Tony. After all, he was a super-strong soldier...

"Aren't you tired?" Nat whispered in his ear, and Peter shook his head. Actually, the show was quite amusing. Maria refused to try it straight away, so everyone looked at Natasha. "What is it?"

"You're next, Nat," Tony said, grinning.

"Oh, no-no. That's not a question I need to be answered," she said, shaking her head. Peter sat and fixed his puppy eyes on her. "Don't even try!"

"Please, Aunt Nat. Pretty please."

"It doesn't matter, if you ask me, pretty or unpleasantly, I just won't do it. I know I'm not worthy," she said, and Peter looked disappointed.

"You're breaking that boy's heart, Nat. Look at him how sad he is!" Clint told her.

"And what if Peter tried? Come on, show us how strong you are! Maybe you'll be better than your dad," Maria winked at him and laughed as she caught Tony's gaze.

"Well, sure, let's try it, young man. I'll buy you a beer," Thor told him, and everyone laughed. So Peter got up and walked a little hesitantly to the hammer. He was sure he wouldn't pick him up. If others didn't, how could he do it? Still, he grabbed the hammer and pulled it as hard as he could.

"I guess it would have flopped me if Peter had succeeded," Clint said, grinning. "We would get on the ass."

"Silence, there's a kid!"

"Steve, he said a bad language word."

"Would you like to be a superhero, too, Peter?" Bruce asked with interest.

"I don't know, I've never thought about that..."

"Wow, what skills would he have?"

"Maybe he's going to put on his suits like his dad."

"God save us. Pepper would have probably definitely insane," Tony laughed.

"Or he'll create some serum and be super fast."

"Or extremely cute."

"I'd rather be normal," Peter said, blushing when everyone laughed. Then he returned to Aunt Nat and she kissed his cheek.

"I am proud of you."

"Even though I didn't pick up the hammer?"

"Despite that."